Technology

Technology

The waves of disruption that have been lapping at the shore of industries such as retail and taxis are finally beginning to hit shipping, with a slew of start ups entering the transportation sector in recent years. Venture capital firms have been eager to back such companies, and are increasingly funding the most promising technology. Meanwhile, established players in shipping such as Maersk Line and Kuhne + Nagel are funding and developing their own technologies to ensure that they are not overwhelmed by the waters rising around them.

Among other findings, the McKinsey report provided further evidence supporting the thesis that automation technology incorporation in container shipping, and in particular at marine terminals, will likely be part science and part art.

There is almost assuredly no one system that will solve inefficiencies, especially in a large port complex with a dozen independently operated terminals like Southern California, speakers at the JOC Port Performance North American Conference in Newark, New Jersey, said this week.

Two variables shippers will have to determine that will likely influence the instant quote practice’s acceptance/rejection are — will the shipper's business model benefit from an instant quote and an immediate booking? And how much of a premium are shippers willing to pay to obtain them?

“PCS 1X is a cloud-based, new-generation technology, with a user-friendly interface. This system seamlessly integrates eight new stakeholders, besides the 19 existing stakeholders from the maritime, trade on a single platform,” a Ministry of Shipping statement said.

At the JOC Port Performance North America Conference in Newark, New Jersey, on Tuesday, a key technical director offered insights regarding how to increase port productivity as ships get bigger, including what stakeholders should expect from automation.

Sponsored: Amber Road's Ty Bordner on the siloed landscape of GTM and the structure needed to reveal value within data. At the 2018 JOC Logistics Technology Conference, Bordner provides his thoughts on the primary tech challenges facing the market and the future of the industry.

The new tools provide peace of mind for a segment of shippers who want web-based booking tools, and also offer a path to value/service differentiation for ocean carriers. But what happens to the value proposition of NVOs and their decades-long relationships and nuanced, specialized services?